The Great Compromise

Now, here's my commentary on the stuff they compromised on in the stimulus bill.

(Got this one from CNN too).

Also, I was bored and lazy, so I didn't do a lot of writing. So piss off, I'm the Queen.

Partially cut:

• $3.5 billion for energy-efficient federal buildings (original bill $7 billion)

At least they kept half of this one. It really is a needed stimulus.

• $75 million from Smithsonian (original bill $150 million)

Again, at least they kept half of this one. It's not much of a stimulating thing, but it is needed.

• $200 million from Environmental Protection Agency Superfund (original bill $800 million)

The EPA always needs cash for its superfund. I just don't know what it'll do.

• $100 million from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (original bill $427 million)

I wonder what NOAA will do with this money?

• $100 million from law enforcement wireless (original bill $200 million)

Wireless? So they have wireless capabilities? What? Explain what they will do with these things please.

• $300 million from federal fleet of hybrid vehicles (original bill $600 million)

This is good, at least they kept half of it. Not nearly enough to stimulate the hybrid vehicle market, but still a good thing.

• $100 million from FBI construction (original bill $400 million)

Construction, ey? I thought the other things was FBI salaries. Also, I thought all of the FBI buildings were already built. But, I guess, if you need to renovate, by all means do so.

Fully eliminated

• $55 million for historic preservation

This could create jobs (not for unemployed Americans) but for preservationists. I always think it's good to preserve things, but this needed to be put into another bill.

• $122 million for new Coast Guard polar icebreaker/cutters

Alright, I figured this one would go. Needs to be put into another bill.

• $100 million for Farm Service Agency modernization

I want to know how far back these people are before I say that this could have stayed.

• $50 million for CSERES research

Cut it, but what was it for? What the hell does the acronym stand for?

• $65 million for watershed rehabilitation

They don't like environmental protection, both Democrats and Republicans I see.

• $30 million for SD salaries

SD, SD, SD, what does it stand for? I'm too tired to think. I thought salaries were a good thing. Pay people money so they can spend it on stuff.

• $100 million for distance learning

Hmmm... Well I don't think this should be in this bill.

• $98 million for school nutrition

Education bills is where this junk belongs.

• $50 million for aquaculture

Aquaculture? Great word. But I thought if we protected the oceans, they would do our aquaculture for us.

• $2 billion for broadband

Well, cut it. Yeah, we can do this one later.

• $100 million for NIST

I didn't know NIST needed it...

• $50 million for detention trustee

Again, I didn't know these people needed it. A lot of this stuff really need their own bills, and to be put into other bills that they would fit better in.

• $25 million for Marshalls Construction

Lawl, this one could indeed be cut.

• $300 million for federal prisons

Our prisons are already one of the most comfortable systems of detention centers in the world. I really do think rehabilitation is bullshit, and we need more medieval dungeon in our prisons. I bet that would rehab people real quick.

• $300 million for BYRNE Formula

Cut. Anther bill, another time.

• $140 million for BYRNE Competitive

Cut. Another bill at another time.

• $10 million state and local law enforcement

Too damn little already. Put it in another bill some other time.

• $50 million for NASA

NASA needs to focus back on our oceans. We know more about space than our own ocean.

• $50 million for aeronautics

What? These are for other bills.

• $50 million for exploration

Yeah, really. Cut if for another time.

• $50 million for Cross Agency Support

Eh, another bill, indeed.

• $200 million for National Science Foundation

Not stimulating, all these things need to be in other bills.

• $100 million for science

Science is good, but these need to be in education stimulating bills.

• $1 billion for Energy Loan Guarantees

Eh. I was indifferent this one.

• $4.5 billion for GSA

I'm becoming a broken record. Other bills.

• $89 million GSA operations

And I repeat myself.

• $50 million from DHS

This one is actually needed. the DHS is rather underfunded in my opinion. But yeah, I repeat myself.

• $200 million TSA

Kill them, security theatre isn't my cup of tea. I prefer real security.

• $122 million for Coast Guard Cutters, modifies use

This should be in another bill with the Ice Breaker money.

• $25 million for Fish and Wildlife

Is it job creating? If it's not, it needs to be here.

• $55 million for historic preservation

I copied and pasted this from CNN, they fail at proofreading.

• $20 million for working capital fund

Bahhhh... Die.

• $165 million for Forest Service capital improvement

Other bills.

• $90 million for State and Private Wildlife Fire Management

No.

• $1 billion for Head Start/Early Start

Education bills, not stimulus bills.

• $5.8 billion for Health Prevention Activity

Health bills, bahhh...

• $2 billion for HIT Grants

Good.

• $600 million for Title I (NCLB)

Bah....

• $16 billion for school construction

Education bills, but yes, this can stimulate the construction business. But put it in the education bill...

• $3.5 billion for higher education construction

As I said above.

• $1.25 billion for project based rental

Beh...

• $2.25 billion for Neighborhood Stabilization

Useful, but other bills.

• $1.2 billion for retrofitting Project 8 housing

Stimulate the construction industry. But yeah, it could have been here or in another bill.

• $40 billion for state fiscal stabilization (includes $7.5 billion of state incentive grants)

These things definitely need to be put in other bills.

So yeah, they did an alright job getting rid of this stuff out of the stimulus bill. They kept half of of some of the good stuff, and got rid of that that needed to be in other bills.

How is this wasteful?

So the Republicans have released a list of what they call wasteful spending. Now, I agree on some, but here's commentary on all of them:

(I got this one off CNN.com, by the way).

• $2 billion earmark to re-start FutureGen, a near-zero emissions coal power plant in Illinois that the Department of Energy defunded last year because it said the project was inefficient.

I don't see this as too bad, but I still think coal is an outdated power source myself. We shouldn't be investing in a coal plant, but research to find that alternative fuel that could finally replace these deficient fossil fuels. Just change this to 'Two billion to the person who finds the miracle solution."

• A $246 million tax break for Hollywood movie producers to buy motion picture film.

Movies are a part of revenue and job creation. Takes a lot of people to work on a movie. I don't see how this, a tax break that Republicans all so love, would be wasteful...

• $650 million for the digital television converter box coupon program.

Truthfully, this can be considered a part of national security. Lots of people still get their information from radios, but the television is another useful tool to get information to people who need it. If that goes away, what happens then?

• $88 million for the Coast Guard to design a new polar icebreaker (arctic ship).

This can be viewed either way. Ice breakers break ice for research purposes, and to make shipping lanes (and because it's fun). If it helps them make a shipping lane through ice more efficiently, then why not? 88 million may be a bit much, but this could be needed, or it couldn't. It's teetering, really.

• $448 million for constructing the Department of Homeland Security headquarters.

Just no. There's enough buildings for them to occupy, no need to give them nearly 448 million to build a new one. Cut it by two thirds and let them retrofit an existing building to fit their purpose and needs.

• $248 million for furniture at the new Homeland Security headquarters.

Wow, I agree, that is wasteful... Ever hear of Value Village people?

• $600 million to buy hybrid vehicles for federal employees.

This one is genius. It does two things, helps economic growth. You're putting 600 million into whichever car company you choose, and you're killing emissions from big clunky vehicles they already use.

• $400 million for the Centers for Disease Control to screen and prevent STD's.

Prevent disease, die from it. Natural selection works much better at getting rid of disease. Just because people are stupid doesn't mean we should help them with their gonorrhea.

• $1.4 billion for rural waste disposal programs.

Create jobs, I bet you. Rural waste is the same as city waste. It needs to be moved and sent out, though I really don't think 1.4 billion is enough for all the ruralness here in America. So yeah.

• $125 million for the Washington sewer system.

As well, creates jobs. Or at least maintains them (along with the sewer system all those Republicans shit into). I don't see why you would try and get rid of this. I want a Republican senator to go without a working sewer system for a month and see how they like it.

• $150 million for Smithsonian museum facilities.

This is trademark Republican asshattery. The Smithsonian is an institution to further the learning of people. It just seems so Republican to try and kill learning centers and arts.

• $1 billion for the 2010 Census, which has a projected cost overrun of $3 billion.

I'm sure there's a lot of jobs that'll be created to take this census report. If it's going to overrun, why not tackle it now instead of wait? Doesn't seem right to me to put shit like this off until the last minute.

• $75 million for "smoking cessation activities."

I think people should just die from their smoking and leave it at that. But if you insist on putting in anti-smoking junk, you actually kill a lot of people's livelihoods. Especially the tobacco farmers.

• $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges.

As I said before, trademark Republican asshattery.

• $75 million for salaries of employees at the FBI.

They should have a bake sale in my opinion. But this is like the census thing, if we put this kind of thing off, what happens?

• $25 million for tribal alcohol and substance abuse reduction.

We fucked them up enough, so I figure this is the least we could do for them.

• $500 million for flood reduction projects on the Mississippi River.

I think the people who get flooded should build their houses on higher ground. Flood plains were meant for farming in civilization, not living on. But yeah, this is one of those things that could create jobs. A lot of money is needed to fix levee systems and the like, and a lot of people (and dirt). Also, this is nowhere near enough.

• $10 million to inspect canals in urban areas.

I don't think many places have canals here in the US, there's very few of them. Even so, I still don't think 10 million would be enough to do anything about them if they were found to be in danger. Which they probably are.

• $6 billion to turn federal buildings into "green" buildings.

Why not? Fucking Republicans. This could stimulate a part of the economy that needs some stimulation in my opinion. Fuck off you fucking Republicans.

• $500 million for state and local fire stations.

If this is taken out, I hope their houses burn down due to lack of funding. But this isn't enough obviously.

• $650 million for wildland fire management on forest service lands.

Usually the forest burns, then regrows. I see little point in this one. Though I don't know what exactly they'd do with the money.

• $1.2 billion for "youth activities," including youth summer job programs.

I need this. You probably need this. Anyone without a job needs this. Especially the ones without job experience. The Republicans need to learn that people need activity funding, and job finding funding. Because people with money, will spend the money, therefore stimulating economy. Though it all really depends on what will be done with the little funding here.

• $88 million for renovating the headquarters of the Public Health Service.

Tell them to renovate the way they raise money. Have a bake sale. I know this is a needed institution, but what does it say when their building needs renovation? Tooooooo late.

• $412 million for CDC buildings and property.

Hmmm, this can be good or bad. It might help stimulate a small portion of the economy, but it might not. Either way, this one can stay or go.

• $500 million for building and repairing National Institutes of Health facilities in Bethesda, Maryland.

Who says this is wasteful? It might be a bit much, if they haven't taken bids for it yet, but it does have a point. If this is taken out they can just charge more for healthcare.

• $160 million for "paid volunteers" at the Corporation for National and Community Service.

'Paid volunteers.' That's a great phrase. I figure if you have money, you will spend money, therefore stimulating whichever part of the economy they wish to stimulate.

• $5.5 million for "energy efficiency initiatives" at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration.

Lolz, the VA already shits on veterans, they don't need "energy efficiency initiatives." Though they might, I don't know. You be the judge.

• $850 million for Amtrak.

I didn't know Amtrak was in any trouble. But yeah, it doesn't seem useful to me because I don't know what the money would go towards. But if they really need it, by all means, let the rail industry thrive.

• $100 million for reducing the hazard of lead-based paint.

Yes, lets do that. I figure we can take lead out of gasoline, why not paint as well? I think they should ask the Chinese government for a little help on this one.

• $75 million to construct a "security training" facility for State Department Security officers when they can be trained at existing facilities of other agencies.

Yeah, it could stimulate the construction industry which is hurting, but they can be trained at the other existing facilities.

• $110 million to the Farm Service Agency to upgrade computer systems.

Yes, upgrade your computers because one day it may matter. I wonder what would happen if their system went offline....

• $200 million in funding for the lease of alternative energy vehicles for use on military installations.
Not enough. This really should be added to the 600 million for government hybrid vehicles. It could work.

Yeah, that's my two bits.